Universities and law enforcement urge carve‑out as bill would allow firearms in many publicly owned buildings

Representative Pat Einert, sponsor of House Bill 15‑88, told the committee the bill consolidates multiple gun provisions from prior sessions, updates definitions and makes several substantive changes — including raising the knife length that qualifies as a dangerous weapon, clarifying when a concealed‑weapons license must be produced and allowing a digital license — and would remove "publicly owned or operated building" from the list of places automatically treated as prohibited for firearms. "We're going to talk about some gun bills...we felt this year that we would bring back a bill that kind of addressed everything," the sponsor said.

The hearing drew extensive testimony in opposition from higher education leaders, campus police and student organizations who said the bill as drafted would remove the authority of the State Board of Higher Education and individual campuses to keep firearms out of campus buildings. Lloyd Halverson, vice president for academic and student affairs and chief of police at Lake Region State College, said removing…